


Disappeared

by MurderBaby



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Adventure, Hauntings, Journalism, M/M, Mystery, True Crime, but I know the ending scene already fwiw, unsure how it's going to end so I make no promises sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 05:58:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18309587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderBaby/pseuds/MurderBaby
Summary: Gon has been missing for two months. Killua has lost two months of his life searching.





	Disappeared

**Author's Note:**

> She's back on her bullshit again.

Wind whipping up the cliff side from its long journey over the ocean made him shiver, before. Today, though, all he could think about was how beautiful sunrise was. How worth it it could be to drag himself and whoever he could convince to tag along to get up hours before the sun could even imagine waking up. A long walk up the side of a mountain, like today, or just a stroll through the darkest part of morning to the duck pond near his house. Without a doubt some of his favorite memories were that sliver of morning peaking up over the horizon, warmed by the presence of another day, and his friend by his side, even as he shivered all over.

Gon never was one for cold, but beggars can't be choosers. The good always comes with the bad.

"Excuse me, sir?"

A low, affable voice interrupted Gon's reverie. He turned towards it. He saw a graying man with a big smile beneath a hefty, gray mustache, hands looped in his backpack straps. Next to him stood a short, lovely woman with a round, kind face. It would have been impossible not to smile back at them.

"Yes, sir?" Gon said, smiling, giving a small wave.

"It's such good luck you're here, today of all days!"

Gon's eyes went wide. "I'm the result of good luck? That makes me so happy to hear!"

The man slipped his backpack off and pulled it around to shuffle through it, as his companion spoke up, soft with a slight accent speaking to being from all the way across the country.

"It's actually our 40th wedding anniversary today," she said, blooming into a smile. Gon gasped, and clapped.

"That's incredible! Congratulations!"

Her husband bent up, camera in hand, and rubbed the back of his head with the other.

"I'm a lucky man, that's for sure," he said, wife beside him beaming. "Anyway, would you mind taking our picture to mark the occasion?"

Gon dropped his hands to his sides. The sun began its ascent behind them, throwing up long, imposing shadows, as if the celebratory couple were harboring a dark secret.

"I can try," Gon offered, weakly. If the man heard Gon's hesitation, he didn't show it. Gon offered up a hand. The man placed the camera into it gently. Gon's hand dipped, as if it were incredibly heavy, and everyone worried the camera would fall to the rocks below and shatter. The woman gasped and reached for the probably spot below Gon's hand where it would fall, the man tried to grab it back. Gon gripped the camera at the last minute, though, and pulled it back in.

"Got it! Phew!" Gon said, smiling wide, making a great show of gripping the camera carefully with both hands. The couple were all delighted smiles. Nothing could destroy their good morning, not even a smashed camera, so it was all icing on the cake.

As the couple shifted to find a good position in front of the rising sun, Gon turned from them. He couldn't shake his fear. He pretended to be trying to figure out how to work the thing as he scanned the sloping trail behind them. It was wind swept by the sea breeze, brackish and dry. The path wasn't the most popular in the park, as it was a difficult climb, but at least a dozen people crested it daily, leaving the path tamped down beneath many hiking boot soles.

At any moment, another hiker's head could pop up into view. They'd be upon them with almost no warning. Gon swept his eyes left to right, unsure of what he was looking for, but figuring he'd know it when he saw it. Hoping he'd know.

"Ready?" asked the man. Gon nearly jumped, but straightened his shoulders and turned around instead, hiding it.

"All set!" Gon said, looking through the viewfinder. The man and woman had their arms twined around each other's waist. With the sunlight glowing warmly behind them, the light loosened time's grip on the couple. They looked young, as if they were on their honeymoon, instead of celebrating a long life together.

"Ready!" the man said, through his wide smile. Gon said cheese, they followed in turn, and he snapped a photo plus a few more, just to be safe. He clicked through the digital gallery. A few turned out pretty alright. He nodded. The woman thanked him as the man reached for the camera. Gon's fingers lightly brushed across the other man's knuckles.

Turns out he hadn't been too far off about his new acquaintances. Their honeymoon had not been at the peak of this particular trail, but it had taken them a month of hiking, sleeping out under the stars, ducking under wide leaves to hide from rain, and falling even more in love. They looked like themselves, but they also hadn't experienced the loss of their first child before it was born, the near death of their marriage, and their eventually decision to live child free.

Gon nodded, even though he couldn't hear the woman, because he watched her lips move as he saw their past as clearly as a movie in a theater. He assumed they'd thanked him, and wished him well. He didn't understand why they continued to stand and stare at him. He wished they wouldn't, as the morning sounds of seagulls, crashing waves and cars on some distant highway filtered back into his attention.

"Well, I mean, if you'd like to come, you can, but we probably need to get going," he heard from the woman, words parting the fog in his brain slowly.

Shit. He had no watch or phone, and no way to tell how much time he'd lost. Hopefully not much. He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

"Oh, I would love to," Gon said, realizing he was being invited to hike down with them. It made great sense to do so, for a number of reasons, not least of which was if he could see so much of their past, it probably meant they were safe, for now.

He had to believe this was as true now as it ever was, because he had so little else to believe in now.

They had been such good company, their life filled with so many incredibly adventures together. The descent had been so easy and fun, the slope gentle, the weather mild. It lulled Gon into a false sense that he'd gotten away with it.

But it was the fantastic weather, with sunlight dappled by cloud cover, that gave the pale man dressed in black away. It bounced over the horizon, bobbing like a cork in water. Gon cut the sentence he was speaking in half with an abrupt gulp.

"That's weird, huh?" said the man, following Gon's gaze with his own. "An umbrella in this weather?"

Gon had never seen the pale man before, or his umbrella, but he knew his fear. It suffused him, head to toe, until he couldn't take it. He apologized as he turned to run.

"I'm really sorry. I hope you two have a good anniversary!"

Someone called after him, then someone else. He could make out the woman's voice, and then the man's. 

A third voice sheared through the air, alight like birds on the wing. 

"There is no where you can go where we can't find you."

\----

It started with tripping over a bag of garbage. His own, personal garbage. A trash bag stuffed with take out containers, empty two liters, and tissues. 

But that wouldn't have required him to leave the apartment building, just shuffle quietly to the garbage chute at 2:30 am, when no one would see his plastic-bound shame. 

No, the breaking point was his fucking toilet broke. 

"You actually live like this?" Alluka asked, disgusted and standing stock still in his doorway. Her fiance had to squeeze past her, and hop over the piles stacked in the entry way. That guy was too fucking sweet and earnest, Killua thought, but he didn't dare roll his eyes as Alluka's eyes bored holes into the both of them as Zushi offered to carry Killua's bag. 

"I didn't ask you to come up, I was gonna come down and meet you at the car," Killua said, as if that were a sassy come back. 

"You haven't come to visit in two months," Alluka said, stepping aside as Zushi hefted the ancient rucksack Killua had shoved his few clean clothes into out into the hallway. "If it weren't for the constant, deeply ominous tweets, I'd have sent in a Swat team by now." 

Killua dreaded this. Dread her nosy nature. Dreaded the look she gave him now, with her small, upturned nose, unhappy pout, and blue eyes that mirrored his own. Dreaded the fact that she pretended she was angry as she continued to berate him as they climbed down the stairs towards the entrance. Dreaded the fact that she was pretending because she was terrified and sad and worried. 

"Thanks, Zush," Killua said, which Zushi returned with a flushed face and a nervous "No problem, sir," as they all climbed in Alluka's tiny hatchback. 

Killua watched the two of them in the front, Alluka steering with one hand with all the effortless grace she did almost everything, Zushi rubbing his thumb up and down her palm as they held hands. 

Killua dreaded this. He started to cry. The tear slipped out silently, at first, but as they approached the palm tree lined gated entry to Alluka's condo, his hand slipped out of his mouth as he bit it, and a hiccup escaped. Alluka braked the car with no warning, sending them all jerking forward.

"Hey?" Alluka said, looking back over her shoulder. "Killua?" 

"He's gone," Killua said, tears blurring her face. He covered his eyes with both palms. "He's gone, and no matter how hard I look I can't find anything about where he went." 

Behind the blackness of his cold palms, Zushi must have leaned forward over the console, until his warm face was near Alluka's. 

"Who is gone, honey?"

"I think," Alluka started. She poked Killua in the elbow. He removed one of his wet hands. She was looking at Zushi. "I think I'll drop you at home. Could you bring in Killua's stuff? He and I need some time alone."

Killua was so glad Zushi had found his sister, that she had found him. He nodded without hesitation. They drove through the complex parking lot. Zushi finally looked Killua straight in the eyes. It meant something that a face wet with tears finally broke his shy spell. 

"We're here for you, Killua. You're family," Zushi said, before reaching and giving him a shoulder squeeze. Killua was to surprised to do much besides mumble out a "Thanks." 

Zushi let himself inside their door. Alluka look at the closing door, then back at Killua. 

"Coffee? Dinner?"

"Cheesecake," Killua said. The word was a wet bubble. "Please?"

Alluka just laughed. Killua leaned back. 

"Guess I'm just your chauffeur today, then?" 

"I'm buying," Killua said. Alluka gave a good-natured hoot of excitement. She left her phone disconnected from the bluetooth, so Killua could play his 80s playlist with nary a whine from his little sister. 

\----

It wasn't all on Killua's phone. Most of it was in what he called his "Crazy Person Binder," back at the apartment, with his other luggage. But, he had enough notes there to keep his mind straight. Alluka said nothing as he'd take long pauses between sentences. 

"Remember Gon?" Killua opened with, after they both ordered Diet Cokes with lemon, and no ice. Alluka narrowed her eyes. Killua flipped quickly to the picture that was actually the background on his phone, but he pulled it up on the gallery. Alluka leaned in.

"Oh HIM! The fucking super model."

Killua groaned, but not unhappily. That picture made him look statuesque, too. The long light of twilight highlighted Gon's olive skin, strong nose, defined jaw. He looked like a golden god contrasted with Killua's pale skin and colorless blond hair. They stood together, arms looped around each other's shoulders, smiles so big they looked drunk. It was end of an incredible day. Killua had never been more sore, or exhausted, or happy. He even threw up once, and Gon just stood there, patient, offering him small sips of water from his giant canteen. 

"He gave me that bag I brought my stuff in," Killua said. "I can list fewer countries he hasn't been to than countries he has. An incredible photographer. I met him at a conference."

Conference was their gulping, guffawing cover story for meeting at a goddamn 5K and Beer Fun Run that Gon used to do all the time in college and Killua always wished he had the guts for. 

Turns out they'd attended the same school. They realized it when they saw each other in their matching logo bearing shirts for the same state school in the middle of the country. They'd missed each other because Killua was getting his journalism degree, and Gon was still doing fine art photography. 

They were instantly each other's best friends. 

"I do remember now," Alluka said, smiling gently. "I was distracted at the time, I guess."

"Yeah, you and Zush were getting hot and heavy at the time," Killua said, emphasis on the word and. He chuckled and she shoved his arms back off the table. 

Two years ago, when they'd met, Killua had finally moved closer to his sister. They'd dreamed of living in the same city, this city. He'd cobbled together a couple of decently paying freelance and contract gigs, while continuing to try and finish his book.

"He used to travel all over to shoot. He even sold photos to National Geographic," Killua said, continuing to flip through photos he'd saved from Gon's extensive collection. Gorgeous landscapes, smiling people, birds, flowers, anything he found beautiful. "He said he spent a year following his dad around who did some kind of government work in different countries. Fell in love with travel."

Alluka looked at the photos, for a while, but then looked at Killua. 

"He was special to you," she said, not asking. Killua looked at her, then down at his phone.

"The thing is," he said, as if he hadn't heard her. "the thing is, he was a super prolific blogger and social media dork. Ran an Instagram, twitter, blog, all that shit. He used to post all the time. Even when he was in the middle of the rain forest, he'd find a way." 

"Yeah?" Alluka said. Neither of them had even picked up their menu. When the waitress came by, Alluka was going to ask for more time before Killua piped up. 

"Two PB cup surprise cheesecakes," he said, without looking up from his phone. Alluka tried to mitigate her brother's rudeness with a "Please?" 

"But two months ago, he just stopped," Killua said. His thumb finally stopped flying over the screen. "It was a week before he planned to come back home. This was his last tweet."

Killua flipped the phone over. He held his wrist with his other hand so it'd stop shaking. 

"'I'm getting close?'" Alluka read. "Close to what?"

"I'm..." Killua replied, turning the phone back towards himself. The thought was interrupted by two towering pieces of wobbling cakes, whipped cream nearly as thick as the cake itself. 

"You're?" Alluka asked. She leaned so far forward Killua worried she'd topple out of her seat. 

"I'm starving, I haven't eaten all day," Killua said, stuffing his phone in his pocket. He pulled out a fork as he took his first, giant slug of soda. 

"Oh," Alluka said. She watched her brother shove food in his mouth before she kicked him in the shin. Hard. 

"Ouch! What the fuck, Alluka?" 

"What the fuck! What happened?!" 

Killua tried to finish putting the piece in his mouth. He couldn't. He let it clatter back to the plate. He leaned back, his scrawny body curving into a C. He dipped his head, scooped his forehead with his hands. He shook his head. Muffled by his own body, he said. 

"I have no idea, Alluka. That's the problem. There's nothing. No news article, no death certificate, no arrest record. He's just gone." 

"This is awful," Alluka whispered. She looked at her soda. He looked at the pre-baked cheesecake the restaurant definitely just ordered ahead of time, then thawed in the back. He'd never have guessed in a million years what she'd say next.

"You'll have to ask our brother then," Alluka said. "If he can't find him, no one can."

Killua's spine jerked straight upright. 

"You know I don't talk to Illumi anymore."

Alluka gestured at him with her fork, flinging a piece of chocolate his way. 

"I know that," Alluka said. "We don't have to start there. What about Milluki?"

While Killua was hardly a slouch at investigation and info gathering, Milluki's connections with dark web sources through his shady as hell black hat hacking shit could probably be pretty useful. 

"Yeah, I thought about that, but when was the last time you heard from him?"

Alluka smirked. 

"Have you ever heard of Greed Island?"

\---- 

The beautiful morning started sunny with cloud cover, but sure enough those clouds got lonely. It turned gray, then a sight tint of green. Now, Gon held a newspaper over his head, drenched to the point of tearing, wandering down the empty main street of this tiny, dilapidated western town. 

A slip of wheels over water, one after the other, turned into so much white noise against the rainy back drop. He started to imagine he was getting exhausted. Didn't mean he could stop though. 

"Hey, where you headin'?"

The truck had pulled up next to him almost silent. Gon nearly jumped out of his skin before seeing the serious faced man, with at least three dogs peering out of the truck's window at him.

"You can't be all bad if you have dogs!" Gon explained, to himself. The man couldn't hear it. 

"What's that, son?! It's a downpour out there. You need to get somewhere safe and dry. You near home?" The man asked, but Gon knew he knew the answer was "No." Gon shook his head. 

"Well then, come on in. Bruiser, Billy, Pumpkin, come 'ere," said the man, leaning over to open the door, and scoop up the bulldog, terrier and poodle. Gon wished he could shake himself off like a dog, but instead had to clamber up and in taking at least a gallon of soak with him. 

"Thank you so much. Don't go out of your way, I'm just happy to have a break from the storm."

The man had a long face and dark complexion. His drawl made him sound like a local, though. He pulled the poodle into his lap, while the terrier sniffed Gon's side and the bulldog made itself comfortable in the bucket seat in the middle. 

"No sir, not if you have no place to sleep. I'll fold out the bed back there and you can sleep there tonight, if you don't mind dog fur."

Gon gave the terrier an appreciative scratch. 

"Absolutely not. Thank you."

Turning back to the wheel and the road ahead, the truck fired back up, and pulled ahead. 

"I'm heading to a motel not many miles north. Heading home, thank the heavens, after a long haul. Gotta get these kids some home cooking," he said, pressing a kiss to the panting poodle's noggin. 

"Going home is the best," Gon said, sighing, and leaning back into the seat. 

"Mind if I smoke?" asked the man, flicking open his ashtray and cranking open the window. Gon said he didn't mind. The smoke curled around the cab, reminding Gon of places both home and away. 

Sheet after sheet of rain fell down the windshield. Gon didn't want to fall asleep. He was trusting, always had been, but he wasn't stupid. Warm dogs and kind demeanor aside, Gon didn't dare risk anything. Thankfully, the man broke the silence, helping Gon keep his eyes open. 

"Home's not around here, is it?"

Gon tilted his head, but didn't switch his gaze away from the windshield, the mirrors or the road. 

"It's not actually that far, now. I've been traveling for a while." 

The man had a goodnatured laugh, rough as it might be. 

"That doesn't surprise me a bit." 

From the mud caked to his boots to his nearly translucent shirt sticking to his chest, it couldn't be denied. Gon laughed, a little, too.

"Well, wherever you're going, it'll be easier to start in the morning."

Gon hoped so. He started to think, though, which led to a strong worry. He thought for a minute before reaching out his hand. 

"Thanks again for your help," Gon said, his hand extended as if to offer a hand shake. The man gave him a sidelong glance before reaching over with nearest hand, the poodle licking it along the way.

When their hands touched, Gon could see it. A flash of terrified eyes darting across the road ahead, a section of night black ice, and a car flipping over onto its back. It wouldn't be for at least another ten years, but even so, it was enough. 

"It's nice to meet you," Gon said, and meant it. The man agreed. 

The pair continued amidst the near silence of snuffling dogs and pattering rain. When they reached their destination, the man snapped leashes to all of his friends. He reached around to turn on the cab light, showing the small, tidy bed. Gon nodded his thanks, yet again. 

"Anything else I can help with before we head in?" the man asked, holding his sleeping poodle against his chest. 

"Actually," Gon said, thinking as he spoke. "Do you have a phone?"

\----

Apparently, it was the latest and greatest MMO. All the rage. Had battle royale elements, and costumes, and role playing. All nine yards. Apparently Zushi stumbled across Milluki completely by accident one day. 

"He runs a guild house. At first Zushi didn't even know who it was, he just had to tell me about the dude who somehow lucked into the Zoldyck name through the game randomizer or something."

Wasn't luck, and it was galling how blatant and fearless Milluki was being. Anyone could find him on the game, if they wanted to. And plenty must want to. Killua rolled his eyes. 

"So when he's not coordinating drug buyer meetings via tele conference in countries he couldn't find on a map, he's unwinding with some fantasy role play action?" 

Alluka just shrugged. "I sent him questions only he could know the answer to, like the street we grew up on."

"I'm surprised he humored you," Killua said. He finally had an appetite, or at least was willing to stuff his feelings down with dense, sweetened cream cheese. "Must have been in a good mood."

"Guess he's got a girlfriend through the game, and everything."

Killua couldn't help but make an admiring sound. 

"Let's reach out to him, then," Killua agreed. "At this point, it can't hurt." 

Alluka offered to ask, but Killua wanted to do it himself. He could start an account the next day back in his own place. He wanted to get back to pretending this was just a normal get together, so he insisted on asking Alluka all about her new job, and the engagement. She humored him. 

"I am worried about you, you know," Alluka finally said, as they paid and stood up to leave. 

"I know."

"Should I worry about you?"

"You always worry too much."

"You know what I mean."

Killua looked at his feet. He couldn't look at his sister. 

"At this point, even I'm starting to worry about me. But, even so, I'm not stopping."

"Stopping what?" Alluka said. 

"Figuring him out," Killua said. He shrugged, then. He could think of nothing else useful to say. 

They drove back. Alluka offered Killua run of the TV, but he just headed straight for a shower, and then bed. His phone had died on him during dinner, so he set it to charge while he brushed his teeth. 

He heard an all too familiar ding. 

The toothbrush fell from his hand, splattering white gunk all over the counter and mirror. He didn't even spit, just swallowed and rushed for the phone. 

The blink was green, which meant a Twitter update. 

A smiling face, the better half of the photo on Killua's phone. Next to the name and face, just this.

"Please wait for me."

**Author's Note:**

> Wuzzy, you know what you did. Thanks for the jumping off point.


End file.
